ACQ Vol 12 no 1 2010

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56 ACQ Volume 12, Number 1 2010 ACQuiring knowledge in speech, language and hearing
Norbury, C. F., Tomblin, J. B., & Bishop, D. V. M. (Editors).
(2008). Understanding developmental language
disorders: From theory to practice. New York:
Psychology Press. ISBN 978 1 841696676 (soft bound);
pp. 232; A$72; available from Palgrave Macmillan.
Marleen Westerveld
This book contains 13 chapters
related to developmental language
disorders, mostly written by world-
renowned experts, including Dorothy
Bishop, Gina Conti-Ramsden, Charles
Hulme, Kate Nation, Courtenay
Frazier Norbury, and Margaret
Snowling. Most of the content of the
chapters was presented at the 4th
Afasic International Symposium, held
in April 2007, at the University of
Warwick. As the title proclaims and the foreword explains,
this book aims to provide the reader with an update of the
literature relating to “key questions parents ask when their
child is diagnosed with a developmental language disorder”
(p. ix). Fulfilling that promise, the book covers topics ranging
from identification and assessment of language impairment
to long-term outcomes and intervention.
The first six chapters of the book address the assessment
of children suspected of a developmental language disorder.
Apart from two more traditional chapters discussing general
terminology and short-term memory difficulties, there
are some fascinating chapters investigating other areas
related to language disorders. For example, in chapter 3,
Kate Nation explains how the measurement of children’s
eye movements can be used to investigate children’s
weaknesses in language processing. Chapter 4 looks at
the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate
developmental language disorders and contains a useful
overview of the mechanics of MRI, whereas chapters 5 and
6 discuss results from genetic studies related to specific
language impairment.
The next three chapters deal with longer term outcomes
of children with developmental language impairment. For
example, in chapter 7, Bruce Tomblin reports the data
obtained from tenth grade adolescents from his well-known
longitudinal epidemiologic study of specific language
impairment. The participants are divided into groups based
on language status at kindergarten age: 1) specific language
impairment, 2) general delay, and 3) typically developing.
Results are presented in the areas of academic competence,
social skills competence, rule-abiding conduct, as well as
sense of well-being. In chapter 8, Gina Conti-Ramsden
provides the outcomes at age 16 of her longitudinal study
of children who first presented with language impairment in
grade 2.
The last chapters of the book address different types
of intervention for children with language impairment.
Topics include improving grammatical skills in children
with language impairment, providing reading intervention
for children with language learning difficulties, and how
Speech pathology resources
Resource reviews
to intervene with children with pragmatic language
impairments. The authors of each of these chapters consider
the available evidence and provide practical suggestions for
clinical practice and future research.
In summary, this book provides an excellent compilation
of recent research related to developmental language
disorders. It would be a valuable resource for clinicians,
postgraduate students and researchers in speech pathology
who are interested in this particular area.
Hiebert, E. H., & Sailors, M. (2008). Finding the right
texts: What works for beginning and struggling readers.
New York, The Guilford Press. ISBN 978 159385 885 8;
pp. 266; A$46.95;
Julie Marinac
This book appears to be well
researched and written, with 19
contributors whose work is drawn
together skilfully by the editors. Hiebert
and Sailors have divided the contents
into three broad aims: 1) an in-depth
view of “text” construction, use, and
genres; 2) text knowledge per se; and
3) the paucity of research-based study
in this area. In addition, this work
appears to have three primary reader
targets: 1) those who determine text
and curricular requirements at overall policy levels in schools;
2) those who determine, at local school authority levels,
resource selection to meet those requirements; and 3) those
who work in the classroom to meet student and curricular
needs and expectations. Overall, Hiebert and Sailors appear
to have achieved these aims, with particular success both in
the first area of study (i.e., the study of “text” per se) and in
the first readership group (i.e., at the policy level).
The initial chapters may be useful and very informative as a
reference text for those charged with curricular development
and guidance. Unfortunately, this section is very densely
written with a great deal of genre-specific language that is
unfamiliar to many educators. This, combined with a very
heavy cultural bias (USA-based information), may limit the
book’s value for local educators.
In subsequent chapters, definitions, strategies, and
direct advice to enable text modifications for individual and
groups of students are given. These provide assistance for
those who are seeking to match delayed reading skills with
age-appropriate, and curricular-demanded, linguistic and
content text structures. Once again, these are presented
as individual chapters from contributors that are centred on
specific populations (e.g., science-based text reading or ESL
students learning to read English). This information should
prove valuable to classroom teachers who are expected
to recommend, select, and/or adapt set text materials for
cross-curricular literacy learning.
The bottom line: one for the regional office or staff
room library rather than for individual teachers or speech
pathologists.